The Bulldogs claimed victory in two of their four games in Big Rapids this past week against the Wisconsin Parkside Rangers on Saturday, April 20, and against the Purdue Northwest Pride on Sunday, April 21.
The Bulldogs were scheduled to face the Davenport Panthers on Wednesday, April 17, in Midland, but were canceled due to inclement weather conditions and were not rescheduled.
Ferris (23-22, 11-1 in GLIAC) won game one of the series against the Rangers (17-28, 8-12 in GLIAC) on Saturday by a score of 5-0, then lost a close game in the second matchup by a score of 8-6, before splitting the doubleheader against the Pride on Sunday, winning game one 1-0 and losing game two 2-1
Senior southpaw pitcher Aryn Gallacher got the start for the Bulldogs in game one, throwing a complete game shutout of the Rangers while allowing four hits, walking two and striking out three.
The Bulldogs struck early in the game, thanks to an RBI triple from freshman infielder Alexis Kozlowski, who scored sophomore infielder Jadyn Joseph. Joseph then showed why she earned GLIAC Player of the Week, thanks to a two-run home run in the bottom of the third.
In the bottom of the fifth, freshman outfielder Ella McDonald scored from third on a fielder’s choice from Kozlowski. In the bottom of the sixth, freshman infielder Emma Gillard scored from third on a ball hit to second base from junior infielder Brooklyn Verbeek.
In game two, the Bulldogs lost a close game to the Rangers. Freshman pitcher Ashley Webb got the start for the Bulldogs, throwing 3.1 innings, allowing eight hits, four earned runs, one walk and striking out one, before being relieved in the fourth by sophomore Sophie Wisniski. She threw 0.2 innings and allowed three hits, two earned runs, one walk and one strikeout.
Gallacher relieved Wisniski in the top of the fifth inning, throwing one inning, allowing three hits and one earned run before being relieved by sophomore Izabella Regner, who threw two innings, allowing no hits, no earned runs and no walks while striking out three.
In the bottom of the third, down by five, the Bulldogs struck back on a two-RBI single from sophomore catcher Emily Killion, scoring Joseph and sophomore designated player Abby Meyer. Gillard followed that up with a two-RBI double to left field, which scored Killion and Kozlowski, and then Verbeek smoked an RBI double of her own to left field, which scored Gillard. The Bulldogs attempted a comeback, being down 8-5 in the seventh when Killion scorched an RBI single up the middle, which scored Kozlowski. The comeback ended, and the Bulldogs fell to the Rangers.
In their second doubleheader of the week, the Bulldogs faced off against the Pride (27-19, 12-8 in GLIAC)
In game one, Gallacher got the start on the bump for the Bulldogs, throwing a dominant eight-inning complete game, allowing 10 hits, no earned runs, three walks, and three strikeouts. The Bulldogs had five hits in the game, three of which came from McDonald, Joseph and junior outfielder Maddie Gkekas. Kozlowski was the deciding factor in this game, where she stepped up in the bottom of the eighth and delivered a walk-off RBI double to deep center field, which scored Joseph from first
Kozlowski recounted her approach going into that critical at-bat
“I had her timed up very well, so I trusted my bat,” Kozlowski said. “I wasn’t trying to do anything too extreme, just a base hit to get on for my team.”
Game two was yet another pitcher duel with Webb on the bump, throwing a complete game, allowing five hits, one earned run, no walks and striking out one.
Webb recounted how she bounced back from her rough second inning
“Just having my team behind me, were all really close, and it’s beneficial knowing they have my back, especially when I give up a hit just knowing I have them behind me.”
The Bulldog’s lone run came in the bottom of the fourth when Gkekas reached first on an error from shortstop, which scored Verbeek from third on a throwing error to home plate. The Bulldogs attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, having bases loaded with one out, but couldn’t manage the comeback and unfortunately fell to the Pride.
Coach Jake Schumann spoke about how he feels heading into the last stretch of games, being two games out of first place in the GLIAC.
“We’re playing consistent baseball, we’re playing excellent defense and our pitching has been outstanding, I would like to score a few more runs,” Schumann said.
Schumann credited his assistant coach and wife, Sharon Schumann, believing that “she does an excellent job with our pitchers.”
The Bulldogs finish off the regular season this week, beginning with a doubleheader in Big Rapids against Lewis University on Tuesday, April 23 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. before heading on the road on Friday, April 26 in Detroit, facing off against Wayne State at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Then finishing off the regular season at Saginaw Valley at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
CE – AM